AGATHOCLES (361-289 B.C.), tyrant of
Syracuse, was
born at Thermae Himeraeae (modern name Termini Imerese) in
Sicily. The son of a potter who had removed to Syracuse,
he learned his father's trade, but afterwards entered the
army. In 333 he married the widow of his patron Damas, a
distinguished and wealthy citizen. He was twice banished for
attempting to overthrow the oligarchical party in Syracuse; in 317 he returned with an army of mercenaries under
a solemn oath to observe the democratic constitution which
was then set up. Having banished or murdered some 10,000
citizens, and thus made himself master of Syracuse, he created
a strong army and fleet and subdued the greater part of
Sicily. War with
Carthage followed. In 310 Agathocles,
defeated and besieged in Syracuse, took the desperate resolve
of breaking through the blockade and attacking the enemy in
Africa. After several victories he was at last completely
defeated (306) and fled secretly to Sicily. After concluding
peace with Carthage, Agathocles styled himself king of
Sicily, and established his rule over the Greek cities of
the island more firmly than ever. Even in his old age he
displayed the same restless energy, and is said to have been
meditating a fresh attack on Carthage at the time of his
death. His last years were harassed by ill-health and the
turbulence of his grandson Archagathus, at whose instigation
he is said to have been poisoned; according to others, he
died a natural death. He was a born leader of mercenaries,
and, although he did not shrink from cruelty to gain his ends,
he afterwards showed himself a mild and popular ``tyrant.''
See Justin xxii., xxiii.; Diodorus Siculus xix., xxi., xxii.
(follows generally Timaeus who had a special grudge against
Agathocles); Polybius ix. 23; Schubert, Geschichte des
Agathokles (1887); Grote, History of Greece, ch. 97;
from a 1911 public domain encyclopedia
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